Fire-escape



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2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. FISCHER.

FIRE ESCAPE (No Model.)

Q Patented Deo. 14,1897.

UNITED STATES l PATENT EEICE.

WILLIAM FISCHER, OF WATERTOWN, yNEW YORK.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,453, dated December 14, 1897. Application filed May 14, 1897.l Serial No.v 636 ,494. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

, Bo it known that I, WILLIAM FISCHER, of

Watertown, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented certain in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fire-escapes of the extensible-ladder type, and has for its object to provide, in a device of this character, an improved construction of suspendingmeans for normally supporting the fire-escape when out of use and an improved construction of eXtensible-ladder escape, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention extended for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the fire-escape folded and removed from its casing. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the fire-escape and casing. the collapsible sections, and Fig. 5 is a view of one of the metallic hangers.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of t-he drawings.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a portion of a window-sill, and 2 a box or casing in which the fire-escape is inclosed whenv not in use, said casing in practice resting upon the floor adjacent the window.

My improved fire-escape consists of a top section 3 and a bottom section4 and a series of intermediate collapsible sections 5. The upper section consists of two side bars 6, connected at the top by a cross-bar or round 7, and provided on the face side thereof with a longitudinallyextending tongue 8.

` On the rear side of each bar 6 of the upper section are keepers 9, in which are confined hangers or grapple-irons 10, each having a laterally and inwardly projecting grapple iron 11, adapted to rest upon the windowsill, and provided with a downturned extremity 12, adapted to take on the inside of the sill Fig. 4 shows a front view of oneof and retain the irons in position. The lower ends of these irons are formed with substantially S-shaped hooks 13, which serve as stops to support the upper section of the fire-escape and limit the downward movement thereof.

The lower section 4 is constructed substantially the same as the upper section, except that it is provided with two base blocks or boards 14, which are adapted when the device is in use to rest upon the ground and when it is not in use to support the intermediate sections. The said bars of the lower section are provided on their inner or rear faces with' longitudinal grooves or guideways 15.

The intermediate sectionsv are each provided on their faces or front sides with tongues 17 and on their rear sides with grooves For guideways 18, the said tongues and guideways being adapted to engage with the guideways or tongues on the next adjoining section, as will be readily understood. Each section is also provided at top and bottom at its inner edges with stop-blocks 20, which are adapted to abut against one another to limit the extension movement of the sections, and

' each section is also provided at the lower end thereof with a stop-plate 2l, extending across the Vgroove guideway thereof to prevent separation of the sections. The intermediate sections, as well as the lower section, are provided with cross-bars or rounds '7, which connect the side bars thereof.

The operation is as follows: Normally-#that is, when the device is out of use-the sections are folded, as shown in Fig. 2, and are inc losed within the box or casing 2. When the fire-escape is to be used, it is lifted from its casing and the grapple-irons are placed in position upon the window-sill. The lower section 4 is then released and with the intermediate sections permitted to drop by gravity, the said sections moving on each other until the lower section reaches the ground. The several sections will thereby form a ladder reaching from the window-sill to the ground, by which the inmates of the building may escape. When the sections are extended, the rounds 7 thereof form a complete ladder, by which the inmates of the building may descend from the upper floors to the ground.

Having thus described my invention,what

IOO

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire-escape, the combination of a series of extensible sections provided With tongue-and-groove connections and movable on one another, and each section also provided at top and bottom with stop devices adapted to abut against corresponding stop devices on the adjoining sections to limit the movement thereof, base-blocks on the lower section adapted to rest upon the ground and grapple-irons swiveled in keepers on the upper section and having their upper ends bent to form grapples adapted to rest upon the Window-sill and their lower ends provided with hooks forming stops adapted to abut against the keepers, substantially as described.

2. In iire-escapes, the combination of top and bottom sections, the former. provided at the rear side thereof with pivoted grappling irons adapted to engage the window-sill and the latter having at its lower ends base-blocks adapted to rest upon the ground when the device is extended and a series of intermediate extensible sections each provided at one side With tongues and at the opposite side with WILLIAM FISCHER.

Witnesses:

GUSTAVE A. FISCHER, CARL PETERS. 

